Pauline Hanson loses bid to overturn Mehreen Faruqi racial discrimination finding

A federal court has rejected Pauline Hanson's appeal against a racial discrimination finding, upholding the original decision that her 2022 tweet directed at Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi was unlawful. The post, made in September 2022, told Faruqi to 'pack your bags and piss off back to Pakistan'.

Last year, Justice Angus Stewart found that Hanson had engaged in 'seriously offensive' and intimidating behavior, breaching section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. Hanson appealed in November, arguing the verdict threatened freedom of speech. On Monday, a panel of three federal court justices — Melissa Perry, Geoffrey Kennett, and Elizabeth Bennett — unanimously dismissed the appeal.

Faruqi was present in court for the decision, while Hanson did not attend. Faruqi described the initial ruling as a landmark and a 'warning for people like Pauline Hanson'. She expressed hope that the decision would embolden individuals and communities to assert their right to live free from racism.

The case was seen as a test for both sides: Faruqi sought to prove that such behavior is unlawful, while Hanson attempted to argue that section 18C violates the implied freedom of political communication. The dismissal of her appeal reaffirms the original finding.